Stan will not be fighting evil anymore as series creator Dana Gould has announced that IFC’s horror comedy Stan Against Evil will not be continuing to a fourth season. That show’s numbers are down year-over-year (as is the case with most scripted programming), but the news still comes as somewhat of a surprise because it has been doing okay for its network. IFC is owned by AMC and its shows have never been ratings standouts, but Stan Against Evil was one of the network’s better performing shows during its first two seasons and regularly doubled its numbers when Live+7 delayed viewing is factored in. But the network has been going through some behind the scenes changes and has cut back on its scripted programming, so perhaps this is another sign of the pressures of Peak TV. The cable networks are finding it hard to sustain original series on ratings scraps, and the number of shows on the basic cable channels has been on the decline the past few years. Stan Against Evil only averaged a 0.04 rating (that’s four one-hundredths of a rating point) this past Fall based on same day viewing for the 18-49 demographic which was down from the prior year’s 0.06 score. Those numbers just may not be enough to keep a show alive anymore, even a modest production such as this one. There is a small following for this show, so whether they band together to fight for another season remains to be seen. Perhaps they can team up with the fans of Ash vs. Evil Dead and lobby for a team-up movie?
Stan Against Evil follows the former sheriff of a small New England town who was forced to retire but is then called back in action by the current sheriff to fight off evil forces that have invaded the town. It stars John C. McGinley, Janet Varney, Nate Mooney, and Deborah Baker Jr. and ran for three seasons totaling 24 episodes.
With Mid-Season now in full swing, expect to hear more cancellation and renewal announcements, and The CW could be making its blanket renewal statement at any time now. Be sure to stay tuned to this site and the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site for breaking news as well as the latest ratings results.
